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President’s Column

This will be my last column. After getting over the shock of having to write something other than a prescription, I confess I have enjoyed it. I have attempted clear communication about issues important to the board and, I hope, to you. Our last board meeting Tuesday, April 17th, was our evaluation meeting. As usual, it was very collaborative. Jan Dardenne suggested we review the covenant we made last May about how we act together and with you. All board members spoke their minds, expressed concerns, suggested ideas and solutions. We worried and laughed and ate pannettone and pizza. I will post our covenant on the bulletin board next to our pictures.

Remember the AVOM = Annual Vision of Ministry? Item #1 of 3 is COMMUNICATION. One item of the board covenant was “to serve the congregation and its mission by openly and intentionally communicating with the congregation”. Since communication is not just what we think we say, but what the other person(s) hear, only you, the congregation, can tell us how we have done.

We have tried through newsletters, Town Halls, after church meetings on budget and bylaws, and a brief “what is on your mind” table, but I know we have failed some of you. Please help us with this. Some folks don’t get this newsletter and don’t know it’s online. Since you do and are reading this, please ask others if they do. If they don’t, tell them to let Allison know. Just go to the church web site, click on staff and then on office manager and send her an email. Also, the Communications Task Force now includes members focused on implementation. They are working on ways to keep you in the loop.

AVOM, covenant…this church work is full of words we don’t use every day. Here’s one – “called” rather than “hired”. I looked it up on the UUA web site. “The ministerial call signifies creation of a distinctive partnership in which minister and congregation alike affirm their intention to share in a religious pilgrimage of mutual care, joy, forbearance, self-discipline, and a desire to serve the common good.” (http://www.uuma.org/?page=guidelines#SoPPI.C)

Calling a new Senior Minister is a major endeavor. We do not want you to feel left out. There will be many ways to be involved. We are following the UUA process for interim which puts the responsibility on the board to find an interim. So the board moved quickly, created a task force, and put our official offer on the web site last Tuesday (same deadline as tax day). If you would like to come discuss this and/or the whole search process, please join me and other board members after each service the first Sunday in May, the 6th. We are there for you. We want to hear what you have to say.

Serving as your church board president this year has been an ongoing learning project for me and most of all, a joy and a privilege. Thank you.